Nautica South Beach Triathlon - Classic Distance - TriathlonSprint

The entry was long. It required a run down to the beach on the sugar sand and then more dolphin dives than I've ever done to get across a sand bar. My SpeedTube bottom did not like the dolphin diving. I had cinched it as tight as I could while still allowing myself to breathe; however, water went right down the front and rear of it on my first dive. I had to hike the suit up twice. Not good. My goggles also shifted on the first dolphin dive and water came rushing in. Once that seal is broken, it's really difficult to get a good one again. My goggles would continue to fill with water throughout the swim, requiring me stop four times along the way to empty them. Eventually, I just swam with one eye closed. The eye that was opened was treated to breathtaking crystal clear water and gorgeous, undulating sand patterns on the sea floor.

This swim was not one of my better ones. All of the beach running, wave hopping, dolphin diving, wetsuit malfunction and goggle mishaps lead to a very high heart rate for the first 1/4 of the swim. I literally stopped kicking at one point and just let me legs drag in an effort to calm and steady myself. It did the trick after a bit and I was finally able to find a rhythm and get the swim over. I eventually caught up with the two waves in front of me. Towards the end of the swim, I could see only 1 gold cap (my wave) and she was swimming right beside me. I swam to the shore as far as I could and once my fingertips hit ground, I stood up and ran. The beach (and sugar sand) was right there and I made my way up the long swim chute to transition. The swim exit timing mat was positioned at the transition entrance, which was at least a good minute's run from when my feet actually left the water. I wish more race directors would place the timing mat at the swim "exit" and then make running to the transition area part of T2.

I usually consider the run from the swim to T1 to be a speciality of mine, but I have to be honest here. The bit of running on the sugar sand at the swim exit whipped me! I allowed myself to walk in T1 for about 10 seconds... just enough time to let my HR come down a bit. When I got to my rack, I was alone. I am not a super fast swimmer, but I do well enough to not have ever had to battle rack crowds during T1. I like this. After removing my wetsuit bottoms and donning my shoes, helmet and glasses, I grabbed 'Hope' and made my way to the bike start line. My T1 time was decent considering that I walked some it and was in line with other top AG competitors.

I had a really solid bike despite the 19.8mph average. Everyone in our group captured this bike course as long. I held 21mph for more than the first half of the course and then dropped back to 20mph on the return. I distinctly recall seeing an average 20.6mph on my watch as I made the turn back onto Ocean Drive (with about 1 minute left until the dismount line)... so who knows? We all had to ride the same course, so it's not like it affects the outcome, but having nearly 1 mph difference between data sets can mess with the psyche! LOL!

This course was hilly by my standards! Remember... I'm from Florida! But this tri was in Florida, you say. Yes it was... and it also took us over two causeway bridges... twice... and the first bridge had two parts! So let's do the math: 2 + 1 + 1 + 2 = six hills and they weren't leisurely inclines; they were steep bridges built for ships to go under. I'm rambling so much about these bridges that you might think that I hated them. Wrong. I loved them! I don't have a lot of hill climbing experience (um, none), but the dear Lord blessed me with a naturally high cadence on the bike and run and I can definitely spin those Granny gears. What I didn't "get" until the last return hill is that for a steeper climb (like a causeway bridge), if I abandon the aero position and sit up, I tend to climb even better. This recruits those roadie hamstrings & glutes. I have a lot to learn about riding hills/steep bridges, but I don't feel quite so afraid of them anymore.

A couple of things with the bike: It was really heating up out there and I ran out of fluids about 2-3 miles before the end of the ride. I had drank an entire Profile Design aerobottle (with approx 30oz of fluid) in about 51 or 52 minutes and I was yearning for more. If I had been doing the Oly distance, I would have been in real trouble. This was a good head's up for St. Anthony's, which is sure to be just as hot. I did a lot of coasting down the backside of the bridges-- no braking-- just coasting. I would like to find the confidence to actually pedal more of the downhills. Aside from the first bridge climb (where I didn't move into my smaller chain ring, like an idiot), I kept my HR in check on the ride. I longed for a good run. Overall, it was a solid bike for me. I was passed by two people: one of whom was my super-cycling best friend (who also had the 2nd fastest female bike split of the day for the Classic distance) and the other was the girl who eventually won my AG. Not too shabby. :-)

The bike dismount was non-eventful. I dismounted with my shoes still on my feet. Nothing fancy. Once in T2, I chatted briefly with SH while she got ready to hit the run course as well. We wished each other good luck and off I went!

T2 time was a bit slower than I would have liked, so I'll have to work on that dismount and unfortunately, probably leave the chatting for later.

The run was an out and back down the famous SoBe sidewalks and beach boardwalk. It was a ridiculously crowded course because all of the Oly racers were also using it. I did a lot of energy sapping dodging throughout the run. At one point it made me think of the Disney Half Marathon. My handheld came in handy during the run and I drank nearly the entire thing. I found myself very discouraged during mile 2 and even considered walking. I was hot & miserable; my legs didn't want to move and another girl from my AG had just passed me. Thankfully, at the 2-mile turnaround either my PowerGel decided to kick in or everyone else started to fade. I began to pass people right and left and this acted as a much needed, mental pick me-up.

When I hit mile 3, I remember saying to myself, "only one more mile to go. It's no different than when I leave my house and run to the end of my neighborhood." I hit mile 4 on my watch before I hit the actually finish line (typical) and was then blessed (er, cursed) with a final bit of running on South Beach's sugar sand. As I approached the finish chute, I saw MSL & JH and heard them yelling at me! MSL shouted, "Move your butt, woman!" I smiled.

What I didn't know was that while I was smiling an AG competitor was sneaking up behind me waiting to make her move. I gave chase as soon as she ran by me, but she had all the advantage. She saw my age on my calf and waited long enough until there was no way that I could react quickly enough to catch her. I felt my quads seize up immediately as I ran after her in full-on sprint mode, but I forced myself to go, go, go! She beat me to the finish line by 2 seconds... and bumped me down a spot on the AG podium. I've been beaten this way twice before, but both times it was by 4 seconds. It appears I have graduated by 2 seconds now. Maybe eventually, I'll be the one doing the bumping. That would be sweet.

The run. I had only two goals for this race and running a sub-8 pace was the big one. I have been training to run sub-8 off the bike and have done it consistently in practice (after mega hard interval rides too), but alas, I was not able to convert at Nautica. I'm quite certain that the 88F heat index at 10AM (just when I was beginning the run) is mostly to blame and I have duly noted the slower run paces overall for this event. Nevertheless, I was bummed... and am determined to find a way to get closer to what I know I am capable of regardless of the heat. This probably means that I need to get out there and train my body to work HARD in the heat (which I'll have plenty of over the next few months). I'm sure this will be painful, but I also know that I am not an 8 min/mile runner in sprint/oly course tri anymore. I've just got to find a way to make it all happen.

After my race was over, I grabbed some water and watched for SH to cross the line. Both she and MSL finished the day in style and both had terrific races! The entire gang took some pictures together, drank lots of water (could not find any post-race food) and continued to bake under the hot, Miami heat. Eventually race results were posted and I realized that I had taken 5th in my AG. So, while I did not meet my run pace goal, I did meet my AG placement goal. I wanted top 5 and I got it. Celebrate! What I didn't realize was that this particular race goes 5 places deep on the podium... and it's a real podium... with tiered steps and all! Very cool!

I didn't know how many women were in my AG and hence, didn't find out until later in the evening upon my return home that I also qualified for AG Nationals. This was another goal of mine for 2011; although I didn't expect it to happen so early in the season. Icing on the cake, I suppose.


The heat... most definitely! It gets me every time and it's absolutely insane how much of a difference 10 degrees makes in pacing.


This is a crowded race for such a short course. Between the classic and oly distances, there were 3000 athletes. Post-race food was nowhere to be found afterwards. :-(